National Defense Authorization Bill

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, a bill upon which we have fortunately invoked cloture today and which I hope will allow us to proceed to finish this vitally important legislation.

I wish to commend both Chairman McCain and Ranking Member Reed for their leadership as they worked together. Their bill puts us on a path toward addressing the myriad threats we face today. In fact, in my years in the Senate, it is difficult to think of a time in which we have faced more threats from more different adversaries around the world. These national security challenges include the challenges posed by ISIS, as it continues to control territory and key cities in Syria and Iraq and spreads to other countries, such as Libya and Nigeria; Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist terrorist groups determined to attack our country and our allies; Russia's aggressive operations in Ukraine, the Baltics, and Syria; and China's aggressive military activities in the South China Sea.

This bill funds programs that ensure our Nation's continued presence and deterrence missions, including $271 million to help complete the construction of two DDG-1000 Destroyers. These ships provide capabilities including stealth technology, electric propulsion, and a smaller crew size. The Navy recently accepted delivery of the first DDG-1000, the Zumwalt--a major milestone for this revolutionary program. Given the ship's cutting-edge technology, unique hull, and advanced combat systems, the shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works in my State should be commended for their exceptional work and dedication in building the largest naval destroyer and the most advanced naval destroyer in history.

The bill before us also includes $3.2 billion for the procurement of two Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers as part of a multiyear procurement contract, as well as incremental funding for a third fiscal year 2016 Flight Three Destroyer. This much needed additional destroyer, which ranks No. 2 on the Navy's unfunded priorities list, will be built at Bath Iron Works. As the workhorses of the Navy, these destroyers help ensure that our Navy's capabilities remain unrivaled in delivering power and presence across the globe. From freedom of navigation missions in the South China Sea to addressing Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz, these ships signal to enemies and allies alike that the U.S. Navy is ready to respond wherever and whenever it is needed.

After years of advocacy, I am pleased this legislation also includes an important provision that requires the Department of Defense to finally comply with the Berry amendment by outfitting new recruits with high-quality athletic shoes made in America by skilled American workers. This amendment, sponsored by my colleague Senator King, is based upon stand-alone legislation that I introduced with my colleague from Maine. It is good not only for our troops but also for American manufacturing. It is time to stop relying on goods manufactured in foreign countries to outfit those who wear the uniform of our Nation. It is past time for the Department's circumvention of the Berry amendment to be ended when it comes to athletic footwear.

This bill also provides for investments in our public shipyards, which are strategic assets for our national security. For Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME, almost $75 million is authorized for necessary upgrades, including $18 million for unaccompanied housing, $30 million for utility improvements for nuclear platforms, and $27 million to construct a replacement for a medical and dental unit that is in a building that is 100 years old and does not meet current safety standards.

As the senior member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, I am pleased these authorizations match the funding included in our Military Construction and VA spending bill that passed the Senate overwhelmingly a few weeks ago. These investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will result in the high-quality facilities that shipyard personnel deserve as they maintain, repair, and modernize our nuclear submarine fleet.

The bill also provides the resources necessary to help our allies and partners around the world. I am pleased it would authorize $50 million for the U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperation Program. The terrorist organization Hamas continues to construct tunnels from Gaza to Israel, which have been used by terrorists to sneak across the border and carry out attacks on Israeli citizens.

Meanwhile, we have the problem of Iran, which has continued to defy a U.N. Security Council resolution on its ballistic missile program by conducting flight testing of missiles that are inherently capable of delivering nuclear weapons that could someday reach the United States. They already are capable of reaching Israel, which is why this bill's continued support for the U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense programs is so important.

I am pleased to note that the National Defense Authorization Act contains several measures supporting our servicemembers, who perform the important missions we assign them. These provisions include a 1.6- percent pay raise and reauthorization of bonuses and special pay to help encourage retention. I know this has been a real problem, for example, for the Air Force in retaining the pilots it needs, who oftentimes can make so much more money and have far easier missions and hours in the private sector.

I filed an amendment, as I did last year, to strike a provision in this bill that would unfairly discriminate against women servicemembers. The provision mandates that if two or more servicemembers live in the same house, the amount of the basic allowance for housing payable to each member would be divided by the total number of members in the house. That means, in cases where a servicemember resides with his or her Active-Duty spouse or if a member resides with military roommates, each would proportionately lose his or her stipend for housing under this bill. This disproportionately affects female servicemembers because 20 percent of them are married to another servicemember. In contrast, less than 4 percent of Active-Duty men are married to Active-Duty women servicemembers. I hope we can change this provision.

Other provisions of this bill would provide additional protections for survivors of sexual assault to move closer to the goal of translating the military's stated policy of zero tolerance into reality. Specifically, the bill would create a new punitive article in the Uniform Code of Military Justice that criminalizes acts of retaliation. The article would hold servicemembers accountable if they threaten or take adverse personnel action against those who report or plan to report retaliation.

Finally, this bill would direct the Pentagon to rein in unnecessary and wasteful spending by reducing the number of general and flag officers by 25 percent. This is an issue that I have been working on with Chairman McCain since 2012, and I am pleased to see the continued focus on ending the practice of rank inflation.

I should mention that I have the greatest respect for the high- ranking officials as well as for all who serve in our military. But this is an issue that we do need to deal with, and I believe this bill strikes the appropriate balance. We owe it to taxpayers to assess every efficiency and use every cost-saving measure while also ensuring the security of our Nation.

I thank the Presiding Officer for her patience. I know the Senate is soon to adjourn. I urge support of this important bill.

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